White Label Analog – ‘Everybody Knows’

‘Everybody Knows’, by Austin rockers White Label Analog, is one of those songs that you know pretty much from the start that you’re going to enjoy it. A catchy track, it will have you singing along on the second listen, if not from the start.

White Label Analog, or WLA to their fans, came together back in 2013 when friends and onetime bandmates Chris Didear (vocals), Heath Macintosh (drums and vocals) and Chal Boudreaux (guitar and vocals) joined forces. Now including Mike Fisher on bass, the group lives by the rule that it’s got to be fun. Listening to their other music, such as the stomping (and again, very catchy) ‘Rainmaker’, and the vibey ‘Turn To Dust’ with its jangly guitars, and All American Rejects/Killers style vocals, you get the sense that in addition to fun WLA enjoy their music very very much, and they want as many people as possible to also enjoy what they do.

‘Everybody Knows’, released last month, is a tender love story; originally intended to be dedicated to Didears’ wife, about their relationship, it quickly became an anthem addressing love as a whole, with the hopes of being an inspirational anthem. It’s uplifting, fun, and joyous – an instant tonic.

Checking out the lyrics, they can be applied to many different situations, including the currently challenging political climate (appropriate on a day when the US is going to the polls).

The song is accompanied by a video, shot by their friend and musician Steve Miller, which encorporates live action sequences combined with cartoon style imagery of the band performing. We see people from every different walk of life, just getting on with their best lives, having a good time – including a pool party. The song and the clip toegether bring back the feeling of summer, and challenge any listener (or viewer) not to smile, and have their mood lightened.

Speaking of the song, Didear said,

“Considering the political climate and how the country is so divided, “I thought it would be great to put a song out there with a universal message of love and acceptance that was all about connecting with others and inclusivity. I wanted the video to be really lighthearted and joyful but not cheesy, and we thought, what could be more spontaneous and full of life than a pool party? Sonically, ‘Everybody Knows’ has a slightly different style from the album, reflective of our decision, with our producer Gil Gonzalez, to use a bit less guitar and more synth and electronic percussion. We’re all excited about the direction the band is taking.”

Published by Lisa Hafey

Lisa has been writing for over 20 years, starting as the entertainment editor on her university newspaper. Since then she's written for Popwrapped, Maximum Pop, Celebmix, and ListenOnRepeat.
Lisa loves all good music, with particular fondness for Jedward and David Bowie. She's interviewed Edward Grimes (Jedward), Kevin Godley, Trevor Horn, Paul Young, Peter Cox (Go West), Brendan B Brown (Wheatus), Bruce Foxton (The Jam), among many many more. Lisa is also available for freelance writing - please email lisa@essentiallypop.com
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